The Animals Went In

New Zealand Listener, Volume 5, Issue 128, 5 December 1941, Page 5

The Animals Went In

AST century the little Cornish parish of Morwenstow had for its vicar a rather eccentric but clever clergyman and poet called the Rev. Robert Stephen Hawker, who was as fond of animals and birds as he was of his human flock of parishioners, which is saying something. He was usually followed to

church by nine or ten cats, which entered the church with him and careered about during the service. While saying prayers Mr. Hawker would pat his cats, or scratch them under the chin. At first ten cats accompanied him to church, but one having caught, killed and eaten a mouse on a Sunday, was ex communicated, and from that day was not: allowed again within the sanc-

tuary, Ihe life of Mr. Hawker was written by an--other clergyman, the Rev. S. Baring-Gould, and in’ this fascinating book ‘the author tells a rather strange story that one Sunday morning a friend of his went to Morwenstow Church-and saw a strange thing there. A little dog was sitting ‘upon the altar step

behind the clergyman, in the position which is usually allotted to a deacon or a server. The visitor spoke to Mr. Hawker about the dog and asked him why he did not turn it out of the chancel and church. "Turn the dog out of the ark!" he exclaimed: "All animals, clean and ‘unclean, should find there a refuge."-("The Junior Encyclopedia of the Air," by " Ebor," 2YA, November 10.)